Air drying tumbler for laundry



Oct. 25, 1949.

G. A. PATTERSON EI'AL med March 16, 1945 FIG. I

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O 0 o o o 0 y INVENTORS 5 gzwu ATTORNEY 1949' a. A. PATTERSON Er m. 2,436,058

AIR DRYING TUMBLER FOR LAUNDRY Filed March 16, 1945 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS GLENN A. PATTERSON BENJAMIN S. K'AGAN ATTORNEY 1949. G. A. PATTERSON arm; 2,486,053

AIR DRYING TUMBLER FOR LAUNDRY Filed March 16, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 NVENTORS A 1 GLENN A. P TTERSON BENJAMIN s. KAGAN ATTORNEY 1949. a. A. PATTERSON ETAL 2,486,053

AIR DRYING TUMBLER FORLAUNEPY Filed March 16, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VEN TORS GLENN A. PATTERSON BENJAMIN S. KAGAN ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 25, 1949 AIR DRYING TUMBLER FOR LAUNDRY Glenn A. Patterson, Davenport, Iowa, and Benjamin S. Kagan, Moline, Ill., assignors to American Machine and Metals, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application March 16, 1945, Serial No. 583,034

9 Claims. (Cl. 34-82) This invention relates to drying tumblers and more particularly to that type of drying tumblers in which the drying air is passed axially through a revolving drum having an imperforate or solid cylindrical surface.

It is an object of the invention to provide a drying tumbler with a fan pressing air substantially axially through the revolving drum from one end thereof to the other and to arrange this fan co-axially with the drum and in alignment with an air chamber housing an annular heater.

A further object of the invention is to provide a drying tumbler of the kind referred to having easily removable delinting means of large size within the casing, preferably near the top thereof.

- Another object of the invention is to provide a drying tumbler of the kind referred to whose casing is partitioned into' two sections, one of these sections connecting with an air outlet at the top of the casing and the other section connecting an air inlet in the lower part of the casing with an opening leading to the aforementioned heater in the air chamber.

A further object of the invention is to provide a drying tumbler of the kind referred to wherein the rotatable dsum extends through a partition parallel to the front of the casing and the fan draws air into the bottom of the casing and drives it through the drum past the partition to the air outlet at the top of the casing.

A further object of the invention is to arrange the partition walls within the casing and the fan in such a manner as to force at least part of the air coming through the air inlet in the lower part of the casing to flow around the rotating drum, the air thus becoming preheated before entering the air chamber containing the heater.

Another object of the invention is to provide the air chamber mentioned above with two air inlets, one ahead of the heater and the other past the heater with respect to the fan arranged between the air chamber and the rotatable drum and co-axially to both, damper means being provided for both said air inlets.

Still another object of the invention is to place the motor driving the fan within the air chamber containing the annular heater. To that end the air chamber is provided with a central well in which the motor is arranged co-axially with the damper-controlled air inlets.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the description proceeds, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 shows a vertical section along line h-l in Fig. 2 of the tumbler with a partof the drum broken away;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the tumbler with part of the door broken 01!;

Fig. 3 is an isometric view of a heating chamber anda damper mechanism controlling openings in this heating chamber; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary isometric view of some of the parts shown in Fig. 3, the damper mechanism being in a position opposite to that shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a section along line 5--5 of Fig. 2 showing details of the door construction.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, l0 denotes a stationary casing and H a drum rotatable within said casing. At the front of the casing in there is a circular opening havingan inwardly extending flange l2. This opening is'closable by means of a door l3 having a circular cone H4 which, when the door is closed, fits loosely into the circular flange l2. The casing It has the form of a substantially rectangular box having an air inlet H in its lower part, and an air outlet ii at its top. A partition, which in the example shown consists of a vertical wall It, a horizontal wall I1 and an inclined wall l8, divides the casing into two sections l9 and 20 in order to secure a certain flow of air as will be described later. Within that portion of the casing section l9 which is containedbetween the horizontal partition I l and the top plate of the casing and thus forms a channel 58 connecting the space l9 behind the front wall of the casing" with the air outlet IS, a lint screen is arranged. The screen 55 forms .part of a drawer 56 which by means of a handle 51 can be drawn out of the casing, such as for the purpose of cleaning the lint screen 55. The vertical partition wall I6 has a circular opening through which the front end of the drum ll penetrates. The front wall 2| of the drum II is perforated, as at 2|, so that the interior of the drum is in communication with the forward section i=9 of the casing and thereby also wlth'the air outlet l5 at the topof the casing 3 the door I! is closed, which arrangement prevents laundry contained in the drum from falling out at the front end of the drum while the tumbler be noted, however, that instead of the ribs 21 partitions may be used which extend diametrically across the whole drum, dividing the latter into a number of separate compartments.

Two shafts 28 support the drum I I through the intermediary of rubher-treaded rollers 23 and 38. One of these shafts is driven from a motor 3| through a belt drive 32, 33, 34. The rubbercovered rollers 29 of both shafts 28 engage a track 35 formed by a corrugated ring rigidly attached to one end of the drum cylinder 24, whereas the rollers 38 of said shafts co-operate with a similar track 36 at the other end of the cylinder 24. The rollers 29 and 30, in engaging the tracks 35. 36, rotate the drum about its axis at a low speed and at the same time prevent the drum |-from endwise movements.

A flexible ring 31 of felt or the like forms a seal between .the vertical partition wall l6 and a projecting portion 38 of the drum inbrder to prevent air in the casing section l9 from flowing into the section 28. The ring may be attached to either of said parts 31, 38, while hearing against the other.

Near the central opening 26 in the rear wall 25 of the drum II and co-axially with that opening there is provided an axial-flow fan 39 which is driven by a motor 48. The fan 39 is arranged in a stationary duct formed by a housing 4| shown in perspective in Figure 3. This housing is formed by plates 63, 65, 66 and 64 with its extended part 56 which also encloses a heater generally indicated at 42. The central portion 43 of the housing 4| is cup-shaped so as to form a well in which the fan-motor 48 is located. A

, space 44 in the housing 4| situated between the heater 42 and the fan 39 surrounds the well 43 whereas another space 45 in the housing is formed outside of the heater 42, that'is ahead front wall of the drum and extends downwardly far enough to cover,

ills of rectangular shape when in its closed position, a lint removal opening 59 in the front wall of the casing. The lower part of the rectangular door I3 carries at its inner side means adapted to support a bag for dried laundry while the door is open for unloading the drum II. In the drawing two hooks 3 are shown as such bag-supporting means. A shelf 68 connects the vertical partition wall |6 with the front wall of the casing It thus delimiting the casing section 9. A pocket 6| in V which .lint may accumulate is formed and from of this heater with respect to the fan 39. The

space 44 has an air inlet opening or openings 46 and the space 45 an air inlet opening or openings 41. The opening or openings 46 are closable by damper means 48 and the opening or openings 41 by damper means 49., The outer wall of the housing 4| has a forwardly extending cylindrical part 50, between which and the rear wall 25 of the drum M an annular sealing element 5|, preferably of resilient nature, is provided. The cupshaped portion 43 of the housing 4| which separates the motor 49 from the fan 39 has small openings 52 through which the fan can draw cold air from the outside over the motor 48 at all times to keep this motor cool.

The heater 42 is preferably of annular shape and "consists in the example shown of co-axial circular pipes 53 which may be connected so as to form one or more heating coils as desired. The pipes 53 are supported by radial plates 54 carried by the housing 4|.

The door I3 provided at the front of the casing III to close the circular opening l2 in the "casing as well as the central opening 22 in the tion 50 of the housing 4|.

wall of the casing through which openings the fan 39 may draw a small quantity of outside air into the casing section 28.

The lint screen 55 in the channel 58 leading to the stack exhaust at the top of the casing has an inclined position and since substantially the whole width of the casing II is available for this screen, it may have a very large area which will not be plugged up easily. .Cleaning of the lint screen in relatively long intervals will, therefore, still be sufilcient to insure satisfactory delinting as well'as to avoid the back pressure which frequently has reduced the flow of air and increased the consumption of power in cases where lint screens of small dimensions had to be used.

As has been mentioned before, theopenings 46 and 41 in the heating chamber 4| are closable by damper means 48 and 49, respectively. The two dampers 48 and 49 are interconnected so as to move in unison. with the one damper being in the open position when the other is closed. Figs. 3 and 4 show a preferred form of the dampers and the mechanism foractuating them. The chamber 4| extends between the two side walls 63 of the casing i0 andhasa front plate 64 ending in the cylindrical portion 58, a rear wall 65, a top plate 66. and a bottom 61. The front plate 64 is provided with a number of air inlet openings 41, in the example shown in Fig. 3 there being fo r such openings symmetrically placed around the axis A--A of the cylindrical portion 58 which is also the axis of the drum Each opening 41 is surrounded by an upturned flange 68, which flanges not only reinforce the plate 64 but also provide a seat for the damper 43, which is in the form of a square plate having acentral circular hole. The damper plate 49 may be stiffened by flanges 10 and 1|. The damper 48, which controls the opening 46 in the rear wall 65, comprises an annularly shaped plate with two extensions 12 at diametrically opposed points. Upturned flanges 13 and 14 extending along the edges of the plate 48 reinforce this plate.

The damper plates 48 and 49 are rigidly connected to each other by means of rods 15 which are slidably mounted in tubes 16, each of these tubes bing fastened to the two parallel walls 64 and 65 of the housing 4| by means of a plate 11 welded to the end of the tube. The plates 11 may be secured in any suitable manner, such as by riveting or welding, to the walls 64 and 65. The tubes 16 with the rods 16 sliding therein are arranged at diametrically opposed sides with respect to the axis A-A of the cylindrical por- While it will be sufllcient to provide one guide 16 and rod 15 to'each side of said axis, it is preferable to arrange two such guides and rods at each side as shown in 3 Figs. 3 and 4. The rods 15 pass through the" damper plate 48 and through'reinforcing angles -Fromtheshace144 the fan 88 forces the heated 18 attached to that damper plate and are fa'stened by means of nuts 18. 18 are arms 88 and 8|, each having a pin." passing thru a slot 88 in the respective angle 18. shaft 82 by means of hubs 88. The rock shaft 82 which is journaled in bearings 84 carried by the side walls 83 of the casing may be turned through a small angle by means of a lever 88 which is actuatable from the outside of the machine by means of a rod 85 extending through the front wall of the casing l8 and ending in a handle 88. One or more notches 81 may be provided in the handle 88 to engage the edge of a hole 88 in said front wall and thereby to fix the shaft 82 in one or the other of two positions. One or both levers 80, 8| may have an extension 8| upon which a spring 82, whose other end may be attached to the top plate 88 of the housing 4|, may act in order to bias the damper plates in one direction or the other. In the example shown, only the lever 8| is loaded by a spring 82 and the arrangement is such that the spring tends to hold the damper plate 48 in the open position and the other damper plate 48 in the closed position. It will be seen that by turning the rock shaft 82 both damper plates 48 and 49 are moved parallel to themselves with the moving force acting upon the plates being equally distributed to both sides of the axis AA in or close to the horizontal plane containing said axis. Thus all the four rods 15 will slide in their guides I8 at the same rate and move the dampers 48 and 49 squarely toward or away from the openings 46 and 41 respectively controlled thereby.

The fan 38 draws air into and through the space 44 in the heating or air chamber 4|. De pending on the position of the interconnected dampers 48, 48 the space 44 receives either cold air directly from the outside through the opening 46 if the damper 48 is open, or hot air via the heater 42 if the damper 48 is open. As has been mentioned before, if either damper is open the other is closed.

Assuming the damper 48 is open and the damper 48 closed. the fan 38 will suck in air through the bottom opening l4 of the casing l0 into the casing section 20. From there the air flows in two streams to the openings 4'! leading to the space 45 in the heating chamber 4| ahead of the heater 42.

Some of the air will flow from the bottom portion of the casing l0 directly into the heating chamber 4|, whereas another portion of the air will reach this chamber after flowing around the revolving drum II and passing through a channel 85 formed between the outer surface of the drum cylinder 24 and the horizontal partition wall While the partition separates the channel 85 from the channel 58 leading to the exhaust opening I5. said channel 85 is separated from the casing section I8 through the vertical partition wall It. The air passing the channel 85 becomes preheated while passing along the cylindrical wall of the drum and thus enters the heating chamber 4| in. already preheated condition. This preheating of the air saves fuel, keeps the outside of the tumbler cool, and improves its performance in general.

The air which, under the action of the fan 38, enters the heating chamber 4| through the openings 41 is drawn through the annular coil heater 42, where it is heated up to the desired tempera- Enga ing the angles 7 The arms 88, 8| are keyed to a rock Qairthroughthe screened central opening 28 of the rear wall 25 of the drum: into and sub--- stantially axially throughhsaid drumwhich it leaves through the perforations 2| of the front" .wall 2| of. the drum. Since the openings 2| of the wall 2| are arranged-in a ring surrounding the cone 4 of the door I8 when the latter is closed, the air has to spread out-conically while traveling through the revolving drum. The air leaving the drum through the perforated front wall 2| enters the casing section l8 and passes from here through the channel 58 containing the lint screen 55 into the stack exhaust l5.

If the tumbler is to be supplied with cold. air instead of with heated air, the handle 86 is pulled forward so as to bring the rear notch 81 into engagement with the edge of the hole 88 in the frofit wall of the casing, turning thereby the shaft 82 against the action of the spring 82 for an amount suflicient to move the damper 48 to its closing position and the damper 48 into the open position. Now the fan 3|) draws air through the opening 45 directly from the outside with the heater 42 being cut out of the air circulation. The air entering the space 44 is forced lengthwise through the drum into the casing section 8, through the channel 58 and out to the exhaust through the opening l5 in the same manner as has been described for the flow of the heated air after its passage through the heater 42.

The air entering the casing section 28 through the bottom opening I4 flows over the traction rollers 80 at the right end of the shafts 28 as viewed in Fig. 1), thoroughly cooling these rollers. The rollers 28 at the end of the shafts 28 near the vertical partition wall l5, however, are liable to receive too small a portion of the air passing through the bottom opening M as to remain cool during the operation of the tumbler. The effective cooling of the front ro1lers 29 is however taken care of by outside air which the fan 38 draws through the openings 62 in the front wall of the casing which air flows directly over said front rollers 29.

As long as the hot air damper 48 is closed. there is no. air flow through the casing section 28 and the channel 85. Regardless of the position of the dampers 48, 48, there is always a flow of air through the openings 52 in the cup-shaped portion 43 of the housing 4| for cooling the fan motor 40.

It will be appreciated that, since the heating coil 42 isplaced near the fan 89 and the fan in turn is positioned quite close to the drum H, a very good thermal economy will be obtained.

This economy is still improved by the fact that the hot air entering the drum at its rear end is forced through the whole length of the drum to leave this drum at the front end thereof, so that not only those pieces of the laundry to be dried in the tumbler will be acted upon thoroughly by the hot air which are tumbling down near the inlet opening 26, but also those pieces which are tumbled in planes near the front end of the drum.

While we have shown in the drawing one particular embodiment of our invention, it is to be understood that this embodiment has been given by way of example only and that various changes, rearrangements and modifications may be made in the details of the construction shown without departing from the spirit of the invention or from th scope of the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. A drying tumbler comprising, in combina tion, a stationary casing provided at the front with loading opening, an air inlet opening, an air exhaust opening at the top, a door closing said loading opening, a partition in the casing separating the space adjacent to the door from the rest of the casing, a horizontal passage at the top of the casing connecting said separated space with the air exhaust opening in the top of the casing, a drawer slidable toward the front of the casing filling said horizontal passage, an inclined lint screen forming the bottom of said drawer, a cylindrical drum having an imperforate side wall rotatable about its horizontal axis and projecting through said partition toward said door, a rear wall for said drum having a central opening, a front wall for said drum having a central loading opening proximate to said door, perforations in said front wall surrounding said loading opening, a fan disposed on the axis of said cylinder adapted to draw air through the inlet opening in said casing and to drive it through said cylinder into the space between the partition and the front of the casing, thence through the inclined lint screen in the bottom of said drawer and out through said the bottom of the casing, ,an air exhaust opening.

at the top, a door closing said loading opening, a partition in the casing separating the space adjacent to the door from the rest of the casing, a horizontal passage at the top of the casing connecting said separated space with the outlet in the top of the casing, a drawer slidable toward the front of the casing and filling said horizontal passage, an inclined lint screen forming the bottom of said drawer, a cylindrical drum having an imperforate side wall rotatable about its horizontal axis and projecting through said partition toward said door, a rear wall for said drum having a central opening, a front wall for said drum having a central loading opening proximate to said door, perforations in said front wall surrounding said door, a fan housing inside the easing adjacent the central opening of said rear wall of the drum, an axial flow fan in said housing adapted to draw air through the inlet opening of the casing and over the outside of said drum projecting the air through said cylinder into the space between the partition and the front of the casing, thence through the bottom of said drawer out through said top opening.

3. In a drying tumbler, a drum rotatable about its axis, perforations on one end of the drum, a central air inlet on the opposite drum end, a stationary duct aligned with said central opening, an annular heater concentric with said duct, a fan in said duct forcing air into the drum, a housing connected Withthe duct and surrounding the heater, openings in said housing permitting air to flow to the fan by traversing the heater, other openings in said housing through which air can flow to the fan without passing through the heater coil, dampers for each group of openings, means connecting said dampers so that one damper is closedto the extent that the other damper is opened.

4. A drying tumbler comprising, in combination, a rotatable horizontal imperforate cylinder, a central opening in one end of the cylinder openings in the other end of the cylinder, a stationary annular heating chamber having two parallel end walls, a duct from said chamber to said opening, a fan in said duct, a motor for driving said fan, a well for said motor located in the center of said annular heating chamber, an annular heating coil in the chamber, an opening in one of said chamber end walls leading into the space within the annular coil, a second opening located in the other end wall outside of said annular coll, dampers for said openings.

5. A drying tumbler comprising, in combination, a rotatable horizontal imperforate cylinder, a central opening in one end of the cylinder, openings in the other end of the cylinder, a stationary annular heating chamber having two parallel end walls, a duct from said chamber to said opening, a fan in said duct, a motor for driving said fan, a well for said motor located in the center, of said annular heating chamber, an annular heating coil in the chamber, an opening in one of said chamber end walls leading into the space within the annular coil, a second opening located in the other end wall outside of said annular coil, dampers for saidopenings, stationary hollow guides extending between said parallel end walls, elements shiftably supported in said guides supporting and spacing said damper plates, actuating means for shifting said elements and thereby moving said damper plates in unison.

6. A drying tumbler comprising, in combination, a stationary casing, a partition dividing said casing into two compartments, an air inlet in the lower part of said casing to one compartment, an air outlet at the top of said casing connecting with the other compartment, a horizontal drum passing through an opening in said partition, air outlets into one compartment at one endofsaid drum, a centralair inlet at the other end of said drum located in the other compartment, an air chamber within said casing, a duct extending from said chamber aligned with said central air inlet, a fan in said duct, an annular coil heater in said air chamber, openings in said air chamber adapted to permit the flow of air from said inlet through the heater to the fan and thence into nected means for closing one damper when open ing the other damper.

7. A drying tumbler comprising in combina- I tion: a stationary casing provided at the front with a door; a drum rotatable within said casing and having an imperforate cylinder, a front wall and a rear wall: a central opening in said front wall of said drum permitting the loading and unloading of said drum when said casing door is open; air passages in the center of said rear wall and near the periphery of said front wall; a partition dividing said easing into two sections, an opening in said partition through which the drum extends, a fresh air inlet in the lower part of said casing leading to one section; a stack exhaust at the top of said casing connected to the other section; an axial flow fan disposed next to and coaxlally with said air passages in the rear wall front wall of said drum and leading to said stacl:-

9 exhaust; an annularly shaped heater interposed in said first named air path so as to heat the air which is drawn through said air path by said fan and of which part at least is already preheated by its contact with said cylinder; a direct connection between the suction side of said fan and the outside air; and a pair of damper means, one damper means controlling the flow of air through said air path which includes said heater, and the other damper controlling said direct connection between the suction side of said fan and the outside air, said pair of damper means being connected so as to move in unison with the one damper means closing while the other is opening and vice versa.

8. In a drying tumbler in combination; a stationary casing; a partition parallel to the front wall of said casing; a shelf connecting said partition to said front wall; a horizontal imperforate drum having openings at both ends extending through said partition; shafts within said casing carrying rubber treaded traction wheels for sup porting and revolving said drum; drum heating means including a heater within said casing and a motor driven fan driving the air heated by said heater through said drum; means for cooling the rubber treads of said wheels including" openings in said front wall below said shelf through which cold air is drawn alongside the outside of the drum to the heater; a depressed portion of said shelf forming a lint pocket; an opening in said front wall for removing lint from said pocket; aligned loading openings in said front wall and in said drum; a door carried by said casing for closing said loading opening, an extension on said door closing said lint removal opening.

9. In a unit adapted to deliver a warm air blast, in combination, a casing; a chamber in said casing having parallel front and rear walls; a central discharge opening in the front wall of said chamber, an axial flow fan in said discharge opening; openings in said wall symmetrically spaced about the central discharge opening, sliding bars extending normally to the parallel walls; these bars and the fan axis being substantially in the same plane; a plate rigidly attached to and supported by said sliding bars adapted to close said symmetrically spaced openings; means engaging said plate at points substantially in line with the sliding bars and adapted to move both sides of the plate equally; additional openings in said rear wall; a second plate carried by said sliding bars and adapted to close said last named openings; and means extending through the casing for manually moving from the front of the case either of said plates into position to close its associated opening while removing the other plates from the openings which it is adapted to close.

GLENN A. PATTERSON.

BENJAMIN S. KAGAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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